DEDICATED members of a closely-knit charity team are looking forward to celebrating two milestones – their tenth anniversary and topping £100,000.

Over the years the volunteers’ sterling efforts have raised well over £80,000 for the Isle of Wight Donkey Sanctuary, thanks to the support of Bourton-on-the-Water residents and visitors.

Whatever the weather, on Wednesdays from Easter to the end of August they set up a tombola and stalls selling knitted toys, books, plants and a wide variety of donated goods at Victoria Hall in Bourton.

The group was established in 2004 by organiser Marjorie Hicks and friends in memory of her late husband Tom, a civilian driver for the Ministry of Defence at RAF Brize Norton, who died in a road accident in October 1998, aged 63.

Mr Hicks decided he would like to support the sanctuary after visiting while on holiday.

“The sanctuary moved from near Newport to a new home on a larger site at Wroxhall,” said his 76-year-old widow. “It was somewhat run down and they had no money.

“Tom had always enjoyed visiting the sanctuary and said he would like to raise funds for it.

“But unfortunately he was killed before he retired so I decided to take on what he intended to do.”

The first fund-raising session was on Easter Monday 2004 – and the group has not looked back since.

“We are known at the sanctuary as ‘Marjorie and her ladies’ and are now in our tenth season. Up until the end of last year we had raised £80,531 for the sanctuary,” added Mrs Hicks.

Six volunteers staff the stalls each week and a similar number work behind the scenes knitting items to sell, or helping in other ways such as loading or providing transport to move stock.

One of the team, Betty Whyton, who has produced 143 knitted donkeys to sell over the years, visited the sanctuary for the first time last weekend, accompanied by Mrs Hicks and Doreen Parry.

“None is us is getting any younger - one of the ladies, Elizabeth Bishop, will be 90 in August. But we really enjoy helping the charity and we enjoy the social side of regularly getting together,” said Mrs Hicks.

“The amount of money we take depends hugely on the weather. One year we raised £10,000.

“We will continue as long as we can. We used to set an annual target but now we just like to surprise ourselves on how much we raise each year.”

There are about 120 donkeys, ponies and horses at the 50-acre ‘donkey heaven’ sanctuary, established in 1987 to provide donkeys in distress or needing care and attention with a safe and permanent home.

It is open to visitors from Easter to October each year and relies entirely on donations.

Sanctuary founder and farm manager Charlie Clarke, a 71-year-old retired postman, told the Standard the Bourton ladies were by far its most prolific regular fund-raisers.

“It is amazing, unbelievable. I just can’t thank them enough,” he said. “They’re marvellous.”